Rescuers preparing to bring out the last 5

Thai and international divers are preparing to resume the rescue operation to bring out the last five members of the “Wild Boars” soccer team from Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai where they have been stranded for more than two weeks.

Rescue operation Narongsak Osotthanakorn described the rescue operation which saw eight of the survivors brought out of the flooded cave so far as a success.

Judging from what he told press briefing late last night, some of them should start emerging from the flooded cave before nightfall. He said the high-risk rescue operation today should be wrapped up faster than the previous two days.

Four survivors were extracted safely from the cave yesterday. The first was seen transported out of the cave in an ambulance shortly after 5 pm. The other four were brought out on Sunday.

Narongsak said all the rescued young footballers, who have not been officially identified, were in a good state of health. The eight survivors have been brought to Chiang Rai hospital where they are being observed for possible infections.

Narongsak said the rescue teams, comprising dozens of Thai and international diving experts spent nine hours yesterday – two hours faster than they did a day earlier – to extract the four survivors safely from the cave. He said the rescue operation today should move faster because the same teams of rescuers who will be re-employed for the mission are more familiar with the conditions inside.

The rescue attempts today will be a repeat of what happened the past two days. The rescue divers will guide the survivors, equipped with full face masks, through passageways partly submerged in dark and murky water, to reach drier spots from where they will move toward the cave entrance where ambulances are on stand-by.

Journalists camping out near Chiang Rai hospital where the eight survivors are being rehabilitated reported that its medical staff will hold a press conference this morning to report on the young footballers’ conditions.

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